One Bishop Speaks Out...

Bishop Patrick O'Donoghue, the Bishop of Lancaster, appears to have realised what it means to be a Catholic Bishop! Not only did he speak out on Catholic education with his excellent "Fit for Mission: Schools" document, (for which he was hauled up before a Parliamentary Select Committee) but he's also been weighing in on the side of the unborn...

In a statement made last night, Bishop O'Donoghue lamented the lack of ethical considerations (as opposed to the purely "scientific" arguments) in the parliamentary debate, and the rejection of religious arguments. He concluded:

"I would like to personally thank all those Members of Parliament who tabled amendments and voted in defence of unborn human life. I call on all people of faith – Muslim, Jew, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, and Christian – who believe in the sanctity of unborn human life to join with the Catholic Church in redoubling their efforts in the continuing campaign for a change in these laws.

"During the 19th century, slavers said black people weren’t human. They were wrong. During the 20th century, the Nazis said Jews weren’t human. They were wrong. Since 1967, the House of Commons has said the unborn are not human. They, too, are wrong."

Twitch of the mantilla to Fr. Ray Blake and John Smeaton, both of whom carry the full text of the Bishop's statement.

On a related note, did anyone else pick up on the fact that, when the Dalai Lama appeared before MPs this week, he was addressed as "Your Holiness," while, when Bishop O'Donoghue attended the Select Committee, it was considered ok to use first names?